Ondo Speaker impeached by 20 lawmakers

Barely a month to the inauguration of the new governor in Ondo State, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Jumoke Akindele, was, on Friday evening, impeached by 20 out of the 26 members of the state legislature over alleged N15 million fraud.

The impeachment of the Speaker was carried out by 15 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and five member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) around 6:00pm, as the lawmakers quickly adjourned after the brief sitting.

Subsequently, an Acting Speaker and Deputy Speaker, Malachi Coker and Ayodele Arowele, respectively, were hurriedly elected, while Olamide George was elected as the majority leader.

Although details of the impeachment were not known as at press time, it was gathered that the 26 members House of Assembly had been enmeshed in crisis with the suspended Speaker and Deputy Speaker, Fatai Olotu, since March last year.

Both Akindele and Olotu were impeached by 18 out of the 26 members last March for alleged highhandedness but their impeachment was reversed then following the intervention of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

According to the lawmakers, the suspension of the three principal officers was sequel to an alleged withdrawal of the sum of N15 million.

The paymaster, who was said to have been seen by the lawmakers with the cash at the premises of the House of Assembly, when confronted by the lawmakers, said he was acting on the instruction of the speaker, adding that he was ordered to bring the money to her residence.

The state legislative house, which eventually sat at about 5pm, moved the motion that the leadership under Akindele had failed the lawmakers as they claimed that were not aware of the approval of the said sum.

A lawmaker, Olugbenga Araoyinbo who confirmed the development, said the impeachment was carried out within the premises of the House of Assembly, with the Clerk of the House, Bode Akinyelu, in attendance.

All efforts to reach the chairman, House Committee on Information, Siji Akindiose and the impeached Speaker were not successful as their telephone lines were switched off.